Partition in shielding construction



Feb. 9, 1960 F. FEKETICS PARTITION IN SHIELDING CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1958 FRANK FEKETICS 23 FIG. 2

ATTORNEY Feb. 9, 1960 F. FEKETICS 2,924,638

PARTITION IN SHIELDING CONSTRUCTION Filed May 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FRANK FEKETICS TTORNEY United States Patent PARTITION IN SHIELDING CONSTRUCTION Frank Feketics, Riverside, N.J., assignor to Shielding, Inc., Riverton, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Application May 15, 1958, Serial No. 735,565 9 Claims. (Cl. 174--35) This invention relates generally to radiation-shielding structures, and is particularly directed to improvements in shielding construction of the general type disclosed in my copending patent application Serial No. 574,121, filed March 27, 1956, and now issued as Patent No. 2,838,592 of which this application is a continuation in part. The instant invention also embraces a novel shielding joint construction for joining together more than two panels.

As is well known to those versed in the art, shielding enclosures are now commonly assuming larger proportions, both horizontally and vertically; and, it is often desirable to subdivide or partition the shielding enclosure to better satisfy the particular working conditions. Further, it is often necessary to, rearrange the shielding enclosure to suit different jobs, which usually requires changing both the external and internal configuration or layout. These requirements present considerable difliculty in the use of prior-art devices wherein it is inconvenient and often impossible to rearrange both internal and external panels or walls, and wherein the prior-art structures employed in earlier, relatively small shielding enclosures are incapable of carrying the loads imposed by their use in larger enclosures.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a shielding construction which overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties, enabling the same elements to beemployed in shielding enclosures of substantially any size and shape.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a novel joint construction for the panels of the shielding enclosure wherein more than two panels may be quickly and easily erected and disassembled, as desired, providing a mechanically staunch and electronically effective shield in their assembled condition, all without the use of special tools and more than average skill.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel panel-joint construction for more than two panels of a shielding enclosure whereby the shielding enclosure may be selectively arranged and rearranged to afford a wide variety of structural layouts for changing work conditions.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel joint construction for shielding enclosures, wherein the elements of the structure are equally well suited for use in relatively small and relatively large shielding enclosures, being capable of carrying the substantial loads imposed by relatively large enclosures, without being uneconomical to use in relatively small enclosures.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shielding construction having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, which also possesses the versatility of the device disclosed in my above-identified copending patent application.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial, top perspective view showing a shielding enclosure constructed in accordance with the present invention, with parts broken away for clarity of understanding;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Figure 1, somewhat enlarged to better illustrate the construction;

Figure 3 is a partial, vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure 1, also enlarged for clarity;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 1, also enlarged for clarity;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Figure 1, also enlarged;

Figure 6 is a perspective view, broken away to conserve drawing space, and illustrating one element of the joint of the present invention; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the components thereof in exploded condition.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to Figure 1 thereof, the embodiment of the invention illustrated therein comprises a partitioned shielding enclosure 10. The enclosure includes a horizontally disposed bottom wall 11, upstanding side walls 12, 13, and 14, which extend along the side edges of the bottom Wall, and a horizontally disposed top wall 15 spaced above the bottom wall and extending between the upper edges of the side Walls. In addition, an upstanding or vertical partition wall 16 extends laterally between the side walls 12 and 14, and vertically between the bottom and top walls 11 and 15, in substantially parallel spaced relation with respect to the side wall 13. Each of the bottom, side, top and partition walls is composed of at least one panel, which panels are preferably substantially identical in construction. For purposes of illustration, the walls are each shown as having a plurality of panels, the partition Wall panels being designated 20, 21 and 22. The exterior panels, or the panels of the exterior walls 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, and their joint constructions, are substantially identical to that illustrated and described in the above-mentioned copending patent application, with the exception of the panels contiguous to the partition wall 16 and the joint structures thereof. The panels of bottom wall 11 contiguous to the partition wall 13 are designated 23 and 24, while the panels of side wall 12 contiguous to the partition wall are designated 25 and 26, the panels of side wall 14 contiguous to the partition wall being designated 27 and 28, and the panels of top wall 15 contiguous to the partition wall being designated 29 and 30.

The exterior panels may be of the illustrated construction including a generally rectangular wooden core or plate having one or both faces covered with electrically conductive sheeting; or, the exterior panels may be constructed in any desired manner, such as by the teachings of said copending patent application. The par tition wall panels 20, 21, and 22 may be constructed substantially identical to the exterior wall panels for interchangeability therewith, if desired, or it may be preferred to employ partition wall panels without shielding effect, as by omitting the conductive facings.

In Figures 2 and 3 are shown a bottom wall or floor joint of the partition wall 15. Specifically, Figure 3 illustrates the joint of floor panels 23 and 24 with partition panel 20. It may there be observed that each of the floor panels 23 and 24 includes a stiff innerplate or core, as at 35 and 36, respectively. Panel 23 has electrically conductive sheeting 37 and 38 secured on the inner and outer faces of its core 35, respectively, while panel 24 has similar conductive sheeting 39 and 40 secured respectively on the inner and outer faces of its inner core 36. In the illustrated joint, the floor panels 23 and 24 are arranged in spaced, edge-to-edge aligned relation, being generally horizontally disposed, and having their adjacent upper-edge portions beveled or chamfered, as at 45 and 46. The partition panel 20 may also be constructed of a generally flat inner plate or core 47 having its opposite faces covered with electrically conductive sheeting 48 and 49. The lower portion of partition panel 20 may be chamfered on both faces thereof, as at 50 and 51, thereby reducing the lower-edge width. The partition panel 20 is arranged with its lower edge adjacent to and spaced from the adjacent edges of the floor panels 23 and 24, the partition panel being disposed generally vertically, to define a substantially normal or 90 angle with respect to each of the floor panels. However, this precise relative disposition of panels is not essential to the instant joint construction.

Securing the floor panels 23 and 24, and partition panel together is a stiff outer strip 55, and a pair of stiff inner strips 56 and 57. The outer and inner strips are all preferably fabricated of electrically conductive material, such as metal. The outer strip 35 is disposed on the outer or underside of the floor panels 23 and 24, extending along the adjacent edges thereof, and has its longitudinal marginal portions 58 and 59 substantially flat and in coplanar alignment with each other, while the intermediate, longitudinal'portion of the outer strip is recessed upward to define a downwardly facing channel 60 extending longitudinally of the outer strip. It will be noted that the channel or recessed portion 60 of outer joining strip 55 is disposed in the space between the adjacent edges of the bottom wall panels 23 and 24, with the channel side walls providing stops or abutments for the adjacent, facing edges of the bottom wall panels.

The inner joining strip 56 is arranged on the inner side of the bottom wall panel 23 and on one side of the upstanding partition panel 20, the right-hand side as seen in Figure 3, and extends longitudinally along the adjacent edges of said panels, having its longitudinal margins 65 and 66 substantially flat, disposed normal to each other, and in respective facing engagement with the adjacent marginal portions of the inner faces of bottom wall panel 23 and partition wall panel 20. The longitudinally extending medial portion 67 of inner joining strip 56, intermediate the marginal portions 65 and 66, is disposed in angular relation with respect to the marginal portions, defining approximately 45 dihedral angles with respect thereto. The inner joining strip 57 is substantially identical to the inner joining strip 56, having substantially flat longitudinal marginal portions 68 and 69 in respective facing engagement with the inner face of panel 24 and the adjacent face of panel 20, while the longitudinally extending medial portion 70 of inner strip 57 extends between the marginal strip portions 68 and 69 at approximately 45 angles with respect thereto.

A plurality of fasteners, such as threaded members or bolts 75 and 76, extend obliquely outward through the longitudinally medial portions 67 and 70, respectively, of the inner joining strips 56 and 57, for threaded engagement in the recessed portion or channel 60 of the outer joining strip 55. More specifically, a plurality of spaced fasteners or bolts 75 extend through the longitudinal intermediate portion 67 of inner joining strip 56,

' between the beveled faces 45 and 50 of panels 23 and 20,

and into threaded engagement with the channel 60- of outer strip 55, while a plurality of spaced fasteners 76 extend through the medial portion 70 of the inner strip 57, between the chamfered faces 46 and 51 into threaded engagement with the outer-strip channel. The fasteners 75 and 76 of each adjacent pair are laterally spaced or offset from each other, as best seen in Figure 2.

In Figure 3 it is seen that a spacer block 77 is arranged inward of the outer strip 55, being interposed between the bottom wall of the outer-strip channel 60, and the adjacent edge of partition wall channel 20. In Figure 2 it may be observed that a plurality of such spacer blocks 77 may be arranged between the adjacent pairs of fasteners 75 and 76. The spacer blocks 77 serve to properly locate the partition panel 20 with its lower edge in a desired spaced relation above the bottom wall of channel 60, so that the fasteners 75 and 76 may be tightened without otherwise supporting the partition panel 20 in spaced relation above the channel 60. With the fasteners 75 and 76 drawn tight, the marginal portions of the outer and inner strips will be clamped in firm facing engagement with the panels to maintain the same in the clamped relation; and, vertical loads carried by the partition panel 20 will not be transmitted through the clamping inner strips 56 and 57, but rather directly through the block 77 to the outer strip 55 by abutting engagement of the block with the channel portion of the outer strip. The joint structure of Figure 3 is illustratedin exploded condition in Figure 7. It is there shown that the fastener 75 is insertable through a hole or opening 78 in the medial longitudinal portion 67 of inner joining strip 56, and in threaded engagement into an internally threaded hole 79 formed in a corner of the channel 60 of outer joining strip 55. Of course, a plurality of fasteners 75 extend through a corresponding number of holes 78 and 79. Similarly, a plurality of the fasteners 76 extend through a corresponding number of holes 80 and 81 of the inner strip 57 and outer strip 55, respectively. Also, there may be a plurality of abutment blocks 77, as illustrated in Figure 2, or a single abutment block may be employed which is suitably configured to avoid interference with the fasteners 75 and 76.

The joint structure illustrated in Figure 4 may be substantially identical to that of Figure 3, but inverted in disposition, so that the upper edge portion of a generally vertical partition panel 22 is joined to the adjacent edge portions of generally horizontal ceiling or top wall panels 29 and 30. More specifically, the panels 22, 29, and 30 are arranged in edge-to-edge spaced, angularly disposed relation, the panel 22 being disposed generally vertically, and the panels 29 and 30 being disposed in substantially horizontal alignment with each other. A stiff outer strip 85 extends horizontally along the adjacent portions of the top wall panels 29 and 30, on the outer or upper side thereof, with its longitudinal marginal portions 86 and 87 in flat facing engagement with the outer faces of panels 29 and 30, respectively. The outer strip 85 is formed with a depressed longitudinally extending medial portion 88, which defines an upwardly facing channel located in the space between the edges of channels 29 and 30 having its channel side walls in respective abutting engagement therewith. A pair of stiff inner strips 89 and 90 each extend along the adjacent portions of a respective top wall panel 29 and 30, and the partition panel 22. The inner strips 89 and 90 are on opposite sides of the partition panel 22 in facing engagement therewith, to clamp a partition panel therebetween, and are each in facing engagement with the inner side of a respective exterior panel 29 and 30, combining with the outer strip 85 to clamp the exterior panels between the inner and outer strips. More specifically, the inner strip 89 includes longitudinal margins 91 and 92 disposed in angular relation with respect to each other and in respective facing engagement with the inner sides of the panels 22 and 29. Intermediate the longitudinal innerstrip margins 91 and 92 is a longitudinal medial portion 93 disposed oblique with respect to the margins and carrying a plurality of tie members or fasteners 94 extending between the adjacent portions of panels 22 and 29. into threaded engagement with the channel 88 of outer strip 85.

The inner strip 90 may be substantially identical to inner strip 89, including longitudinal margins 95 and 96 disposed in facing engagement with the adjacent inner side portions of partition panel 22 and wall panel 30, respectively, and a medial longitudinal portion extending between the longitudinal margins, oblique thereto, and carrying a plurality of fasteners 98 detachably connected between the medial inner strip portion 97 and the channel 88 of outer strip 85. Of course, tightening of the fasteners 94 and 98 serves to clamp the outer and inner strips 85, 89, and 90 into firm facing engagement with the panels 29, 30, and 22 to securely retain the latter in their edgeto-edge spaced relationship and effectively shield the joint against radiation leakage. A plurality of abutment blocks 99 may be interposed between the upper edge of panel 22 and the underside of the bottom wall of channel 88, to properly locate the elements during erection, and also to transmit loading forces directly from the outer strip 85 to the partition panel 22.

In Figure 5 is shown the side-wall joint construction between exterior side-wall panels 27 and 28, and the side edge of partition wall panel 22. The joint construction of Figure 5 is substantially the same as that of Figures 3 and 4, but extends vertically and is illustrated without the use of spacer or abutment blocks, such as at 77 and 99. In particular, the joint construction of Figure 5 includes a stiff outer strip 100 extending generally vertically along the adjacent portions of vertical exterior wall panels 27 and 28 on the outer side thereof, and having its longitudinal margins 101 and 102 in facing engagement with the outer faces of the respective exterior wall panels. The longitudinally extending medial portion 103 of outer strip 100, between the longitudinal margins 101 and 102, is depressed to define an outwardly opening channel extending into the space between the adjacent edges of the exterior wall panels 27 and 28. A pair of stiff inner strips 104 and 105 each extend along the adjacent portions of the partition panel 22 and a respective exterior wall panel 27 and 28. The inner strip 104 has its longitudinal margins 106 and 107 in respective facing engagement with the adjacent faces of panels 22 and 27, and includes a medial longitudinal portion 108 extending between the longitudinal margins. A plurality of fasteners 109 extends from the medial inner-strip por- 4 tion 108 between the adjacent portions of panels 22 and 27, and in threaded engagement into the channel portion 103 of outer strip 100.

Similarly, the inner strip 105 has its longitudinal margins 110 and 111 in respective facing engagement with the adjacent faces of panels 22 and 28, and includes a longitudinally extending intermediate strip portion 112 which carries a plurality of fasteners 113 extending between the adjacent portions of panels 22 and 28 into threaded engagement with the channel 103.

Hence, upon tightening of the fasteners 109 and 113, it is obvious that the strips 110, 104, and 105 combine to firmly clamp the panels 27, 28, and 22 in their angularly disposed, edge-to-edge spaced relation, and also provide a joint construction effectively shielded against radiation leakage.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a radiation-shielding construction which includes the advantageous characteristics of the device disclosed in my above-mentioned copending patent application, having the versatility of use, and simplicity of erection and dismantling of said device, and further that such advantageous features may by the present invention be incorporated in larger enclosures, and in enclosures having partitions or interior walls. Hence, it is believed demonstrated that the device of the present invention is well adapted to fully accomplish its intended objects and meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a knockdown radiation-shielding structure, a pair of shielding wall panels each having at least one face thereof fabricated of conductive material and arranged in edge-to-edge spaced relation with their conductive faces on the inner side, a stiff outer strip extending along the adjacent portions of said panels on the outer side thereof with its longitudinal margins in facing engagement with the outer faces of respective panels, said outer strip having a depressed longitudinally extending medial portion defining a channel located in the space between the adjacent panel edges, a partition panel arranged in edge-to-edge adjacent relation with said pair of wall panels on the inner side thereof in angular relation with respect thereto and having its opposite faces fabricated of conductive material, a pair of stiff inner strips of conductive material each extending along the adjacent portions of and having its longitudinal margins in respective facing engagement with said partition panel and the inner face of the adjacent wall panel, and tie means releasably extending between said inner and outer strips to releasably clamp said strips in their facing engagement with said panels.

2. A shielding structure according to claim 1, in combination with abutment means on the adjacent edge of said partition panel and engageable with the channel of said outer strip, to transmit the load of said partition panel directly to said outer strip.

3. A shielding structure according to claim 1, said tie means comprising fasteners extending from the laterally medial regions of said inner strips to the channel of said outer strip.

4. In a knockdown radiation-shielding structure, a pair of shielding wall panels each having at least one face fabricated of electrically conductive material, said panels being arranged in edge-to-edge spaced relation with their conductive faces on the same side, stiff outer strip means extending along the adjacent portions of said panels on the outer side thereof with its longitudinal margins in facing engagement with the outer faces of respective panels, said outer strip means having a depressed longitudinally extending medial portion defining a channel located in the space between the panel edges, a partition panel arranged in edge-to-edge adjacent relation with said pair of wall panels on the inner side thereof and in angular disposition with respect thereto, a pair of stiff inner strip means each extending along the adjacent portions of and having its longitudinal margins in respective facing engagement with said partition panel and the adjacent wall panel, the strip means on the same side as said conductive panel faces being fabricated of electrically conductive material and in engagement with said electrically conductive faces to provide electrical continuity between panels, and tie means releasably secured between said inner and outer strips to releasably clamp said strips in their facing engagement with said panels.

5. In a knockdown radiation-shielding structure, a pair of shielding wall panels each having its outer face fabricated of electrically conductive material, said panels being arranged in edge-to-edge spaced relation, a stiff outer strip of electrically conductive material extending along the adjacent portions of said panels on the outer side thereof with its longitudinal margins in facing engagement with the outer faces of respective panels, said outer strip having a depressed longitudinally extending medial portion defining a channel located in the space between the wall-panel edges, a partition panel arranged in edge-to-edge adjacent relation with said pair of wall panels on the inner side thereof and in angular disposition with respect thereto, a pair of still inner strips each extending along the adjacent'portions of and having its longitudinal margins in respective facing engagement with said partition panel and the adjacent wall panel, and tie means releasably extending between said inner and outer strips to releasably clamp said strips in their facing engagement'with said panels.

6. A shielding structure according to claim 5, wherein the inner faces of said wall panels are fabricated of electrically conductive material, to provide multiple shielding.

7. A shielding structure according to claim 6, wherein said inner strips and said tie means are fabricated of electrically conductive material, to provide connected multiple shielding.

8. A shielding structure according to claim 6, wherein said inner strips are fabricated of electrically conductive material, and said tie means are electrically insulated from one of said inner and outer strips, to provide isolated multiple shielding.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Feketics June 10, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Publication I: Universal Shielding Enclosures, published by Shielding, Inc., Box 217, Riverside, New Jersey (4 pages). j i

Publication II: H & B Standard Aluminum Movable Partition, published by H and B Enterprise Corp., received in Div. 33, Mar. 15, 1955 (page 14 relied on). 

